Cyclone burner



Oct. 4, 1949. B. J. PARMELE 2,483,780

' CYCLONE BURNER Filed Oct. 30, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l N X1 :1 N Q I colw aQ f v E D a 3 19 Lo a b A I Q Q o AT ORNEYS ct. 4, 1949. B. J.'PARMELE 9 9 CYCLONE BURNER Filed Oct. 30, 1946 3 Sheets-$heet 2INVEN'I;

B. J. PARMELE CYCLONE BURNER Oct. 4, 1949'.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 30, 1946 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CYCLONE BURNER Benjamin J. Parmele, Wilmington, N. C.

Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,625

7 Claims. (01. 110-28) This invention relates to improvements incyclonic burners for various fuels, and more particularly to internalcombustion chambers of the socalled vertical type in which the air issupplied to the lower part ofthe chamber, whilst the igneous gases aredischarged through a port located in the upper portion of the chamber. I

For physical reasons, i. e. the ascensional power of the hot gases, thevertical chamber burners are very elficient and offer advantages withrespect to the horizontal systems, but due to the fact that, in general,solid fuel is used, however much the latter is reduced to smallparticles, it is not always capable of accompanying the cyclonic currentor stream, and if the fuel falls to the bottom of the chamber due togravity it hardly will be incorporated in the rotating mass of thegases. Therefore, a large portion of the fuel particles are dischargedfrom the burner chamber without having been consumed completely, so thatthe utilization of the fuel is only partial with the consequentreduction of the efficiency of the burner.

This means that th fuel, in order to be fully utilized, must bemaintained and subjected to the combustion during a period of time whichis necessary to obtain a complete consumption thereof. In view of thefact that, due to the gravity, the only stable place is thatcorresponding to the bottom of the chamber, it is the ash or bottomplate which must comprise the means for obtaining the stability of theparticles of carbon or any other substance used.

Taking into account the above considerations, experiments were carriedout with the shutter or louvre type'bottoms designed to receive the airwhich causes the cyclonic action. Qne'arrangement was developed in whichthe bottom, itself is transformed into a continuous circulation pathwhereby the carbon particles, although having a certain weight, arecompelled to pass over the bottom of the chamber during an indefinitetime period until after having been converted into gases and ashes, theyform part, of the general cyclonic stream of the burner;

The above object, which constitutes the basis of the improvementsaccording to the present invention, is realized in a substantiallysimple manner, by forming the bottom or ash plate of segments or battensin a stepped arrangement. The bottom thus acquires the characteristicsof a channelcomprising lateral and central limiting walls, so that thecarbon particles are compelled to circulate over the battensconstituting said bottom plate of theburner without there being apossibility of deviation or escape.

It is notable how the various means of the burner have been combined toobtain a perfect operation thereof. Since the fuel is supplied withoutpressure together with a quantity of air which is sufiicient for thec-arburetion, the supply of the chamber is obtained by gravity or atmost by means of a weak impulse in order that the fuel particles maydescend to the bottom. Since the bottom plate receives the air streamused for obtaining the cyclonic effect, the pressure of this air is usedto impel said particles so that they may enter the combustion circuitwhere the particles are exposed to the action of the flame with thecorresponding results.

Apart from the objects mentioned hereinbefore, it is one of the objectsof the present invention to provide a cyclonic burner of extraordinaryefiiciency in which the fuel or carbon particles are maintained incirculation while being exposed to th action of the igneous mass untilthey are consumed completely.

A further object of this invention is to provide a. cyclonic burnerhaving means for subjecting the fuel particles to the action of theflame and thus capable of burning fuel which has been transformed intoparticles of considerable volume, such as the so-called granulatedfuels, which give the best efficiencies in cyclonic burners under theseconditions.

Another object of this invention is to prevent fuel from beingdischarged through the burner port prior to having been burned comletely, by providing a path in the bottom of the chamher by which thecarbon particles are maintained in a fixed position while they areexposed to the action of the flame.

The further objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description thereof taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way ofexample only, one of the preferred embodiments of the improved burneraccording tothis invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the burner according to. theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the burner chamber illustrated in Fig. 1 which,in'thisparticular case,

is: of a circular cross-section.

55 finally.

Fig. is a plan view of an elliptic burner chamber.

In the figures, like or corresponding parts are designated by the samereference numerals or letters.

As can be seen in the drawings, a is the chamber which may be of anydesired transverse crosssection but which, preferably, should be of thecircular or elliptic type, as can be seen in Figs. 2 and 5. Since thelateral walls I of the chamber are substantially curved, the elementswhich are supplied to the chamber and are formed therein, are compelledto describe a rotary movement, as schematically indicated in Fig. 1.

The ash or bottom plate of the chamber a comprises a channelled path 2which is limited by walls I and a central projection 3 which issufficiently high to limit path 2. As can be observed, in Fig. 1, saidprojection 3 is in the shape of a spherical cap so that the highestpoint thereof presents a pronounced slope towards the said channelledpath.

The top plate 4 of chamber a is provided with a stepped discharge orburner port 5 which may be arranged concentrically or eccentrically withrespect to the chamber, in accordance with the use given to the burner.

The bottom of channelled path 2 is constituted of a plurality of battens2 which, being inclined circumferentially with respect to the center ofthe burner chamber as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and being separated onefrom each other, are mounted in a regularly stepped arrangement similarto that of shutters or louvres. Consequently, the spaces between saidbattens 2' of the channelled path 2 constitute apertures whose slant isdetermined by the same battens 2'.

Below channelled path 2 there is provided a cavity 1 to which air underpressure is supplied by means of a distributor 8 coupled to a pipe 9,said pipe 9 being connected to a compressor or any other suitableair-impelling means.

The air supplied by means of pipe 9 and conveniently distributed incavity 1, is fed to chamber a not only to obtain the cyclone effecttherein, but also to obtain the impeller action by which the fuel whichpenetrates into the burner chamber through entrance port I0, issubjected to the action of the flame during a period of time requiredfor the complete combustion thereof.

In effect, path 2, in order to form a continuous channel, acquires thecharacter of a closed circuit so that the carbons or fuel particleswhich reach this path, are compelled to describe a continuoustrajectory. These fuel particles cannot deviate from channelled path 2of the burner chamber, since, as already mentioned hereinbefore, saidpath is limited by lateral walls I and projection 3.

The circulation of the carbon particles on channelled path 2 isobtained, as already expressed hereinabove, by the impeller action ofthe air which passes through apertures 6 and which blows along thesurface of battens 2'. Due to this impeller action, the carbon particlesadvance from one batten to another so that the particles describeseveral revolutions until they are completely burned, since the flamewhich rotates in the interior of chamber a gradually consumes thecirculating fuel particles.

To sum up, the operation of the burner according to this invention, isas follows:

After preheating burner chamber a, compressed air is supplied to thechamber and this air, distributed by cavity 1, passes through aperitures 6 forming streams, the slanting directions of which are determinedby the inclination of battens 2'. The compressed air is preheated onpenetrating into distributor 8 so that it does not cause any reactionsdue to a decrease in temperature on penetrating into the burner chamber.

The granulated or crushed fuel, intimately mixed with an abundant supplyof air, is fed to the burner chamber through entrance port I0,descending to the bottom of the burner chamber as shown in Fig. 1.

If, on descending due to the gravity, the fuel falls on projection 3, itslides along the sloping surface of the latter towards channelled path2, so that all particles of said fuel are compelled to circulate alongsaid path.

On channelled path 2 the fuel particles are impelled by the air passingthrough apertures 6 and, as illustrated graphically in Figs. 2 and 5,said fuel particles, during their continuous movement in a closedcircuit, are exposed to the action of the flame and are graduallytransformed into inflammable gases. Thus, as the fuel particles aregradually burned, the liberated gases are incorporated into the igneousmass which rotates in the interior of the burner chamber due to theimpeller action of the same air which penetrates through apertures 6.

As usual, the igneous gases, after having completed the helicalascensional cycle, are discharged through the burner port 5 and aredirected towards the furnace.

Thus, it is possible to use carbon which has been crushed to particlesof considerable proportions without the danger that part of the fuelwill not be burned, since the fuel particles must descend to thechannelled path and, once on this path, are compelled to circulate untilthey are converted into inflammable gases, ashes and slag. The ashes andslag which are also carried away by the turbulent igneous mass, aredischarged through burner port 5 and are collected in an adequatereceptacle provided in the furnace.

It will be appreciated that modifications of the disclosed embodimentsof my invention are possible without departing from the scope and spiritof my invention as defined in the appended claims.

'Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels, of the typecomprising a. vertical combustion chamber provided with a discharge portin the upper portion thereof and the lower portion of which comprises abottom plate, constituted of battens in a slanting and steppedarrangement forming passage apertures for the compressed air supplied tothe burner, and a central projection having lateral walls, said bottom.plate, in its part constituted of the battens slantingly arranged inthe form of a louvre, being delimited by the lateral walls of thechamber and the central projection and forming therewith a channelproviding a closed continuous circuit constituting a circulation pathfor the fuel.

2. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels, comprising avertical combustion chamber having substantially curved lateral walls,an upper portion comprising a burner port and a lower port portionincluding a bottom plate constituted of a pluraltiy of battens mountedin a slanting and stepped arrangement and forming air supply passages,said lower portion of the chamber further including a central projectionhaving lateral surfaces which, together with said lateral walls of theburner chamber, delimit said bottom plate, in its part constituted ofthe said battens, to form a channeled circulation path for the fuelsupplied to the burner chamber, said battens being arranged radiallywith respect to the center of the burner chamber.

3. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels, comprising avertical combustion chamber having substantially curved lateral walls,an upper portion comprising a burner port and a lower portion includinga bottom plate constituted of a plurality of battens mounted in aslanting and stepped arrangement and forming air supply passages, saidlower portion of the chamber further including a projection occupyingthe central portion of said bottom plate and the lateral surface ofwhich is inclined towards said battens throughout the 360 of itscircumference, the lateral surface of said central projection, togetherwith said lateral walls of the chamber, delimiting said bottom plate, inits part constituted of said battens, to form a channeled and continuouscirculation path for the fuel supplied to the burner chamber.

4. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels, comprising avertical combustion chamber having substantially cylindrical lateralwalls, an upper portion comprising a burner port and a lower portionincluding a bottom plate constituted of a plurality of battens mountedin a slanting and stepped arrangement and forming air supply passages,said lower portion of the chamber further including a projection, thelateral surface of which is inclined towards said battens throughout the360 of its circumference and delimits, together with said cylindricallateral wall of the chamber, the said bottom plate in its portioncorresponding to said battens, to form a substantially annular channeledcirculation path for the fuel supplied to the burner chamber.

5. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuel, comprising avertical combustion chamber of substantially elliptic cross-section andhaving curved lateral walls, an upper portion comprising a burner portand a lower portion including a bottom plate constituted of a pluralityof battens mounted in a slanting and stepped arrangement in the form ofa louvre including air passage apertures, said lower portion of thechamber further including a projection, the lateral surface of which isinclined towards said battens throughout the 360 of its circumference,said lateral surface, together with said lateral walls of the chamber,delimiting the said bottom plate in its portion corresponding to saidbattens to form a substantially elliptic channeled circulation path forthe fuel supplied to said chamber.

6. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels according to claim2, in which a fuel entrance port terminates directly in the interior ofsaid chamber on a plane located above said bottom plate.

'7. Improvements in cyclonic burners for various fuels according toclaim 1 in which said central projection is a spherically-shaped cap.

BENJAMIN J. PARMELE.

REFERENCES CITED Ihe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,184,967 Winter Dec. 26, 1939

